The present invention relates in general to outdoor cooking units and, more particularly, to a heat radiator for an outdoor cooking unit.
A firebox, generally, was designed for use in a particular type of outdoor cooking unit. Additionally, fireboxes for outdoor cooking units were not efficient in burning off gases emitted from burning briquettes. At times, the outdoor cooking units employing fireboxes were subject to flame flare-up caused by grease or fat dripping from food onto the burning briquettes. Heretofore, outdoor cooking units employing charcoal or briquettes as the fuel had a variable and erratic production of heat for cooking food and, hence, the cooking heat produced therefrom was not always predictable.
In the patent to Hait, No. 4,829,975, issued on May 16, 1989, for Cooking Unit With Improved Fire Grate, there is disclosed a fire grate for supporting briquettes. Formed in the fire grate are slots having generally oval configurations to receive an end section or a side section of the briquettes. The briquettes are supported by the fire grate in upstanding, vertical orientation. The slots are arranged in parallel rows and columns. The patent to Hait also discloses oval openings to receive an end section or a side section of briquettes, while the briquettes are supported for upstanding, vertical orientation.
The patent to Mollere, No. 3,682,154, issued on Aug. 8, 1972, for Portable Disposable Charcoal Grill, discloses a charcoal grill of cardboard lined with aluminum foil on which charcoals are supported.
The patent to Hait, No. 4,877,010, issued on Oct. 31, 1989, for Outdoor Unit With A Disposable Component discloses a foldable support collar for a fire grate having a truncated, pyramidal configuration. Formed in the support collar are openings for the circulation of air to aid in the combustion of fuel.
The patent to Tufts, No. 3,384,066, issued on May 21, 1968, for Charcoal Burners, discloses panels supporting a fire grate on which charcoal fuel elements are disposed. Below the fire grate, the panels are formed with draft air openings.